RWBY: Zero
by Emiya2004
Summary: "If this is what it takes to stop you, then so be it. I'll gladly give everything I am, just to defeat you." - The story of Summer Rose's final mission isn't a triumphant one, and there is no happy ending to be found. However, it is a story that needs to be told. The story of how she saved the world.
1. Prologue

~ _ **Prologue: Sunrise**_ ~

" _Ruby and I grew up in Patch. An island just off the coast of Vale. Our parents were Huntsmen. Our dad taught at Signal, and our mom would take on missions around the Kingdom. Her name was Summer Rose. And she was like... supermom. Baker of cookies and slayer of giant monsters. And then, one day she left for a mission and never come back..._ "

~ RWBY: Zero ~

The sun rose on a perfectly normal day on the island of Patch. It was a rather large island, just off to the west of Vale, the central kingdom of Remnant. In a modest house near the coastline housed the Rose-Xiao Long family. Summer Rose was preparing herself in the room she and her husband, Taiyang Xiao Long, used. She got dressed in the black and red corset, black skirt and the white cloak with hood that she always wears when out on a mission.

She looked in the mirror, seeing her reflection stare back at her. Those silver eyes, pale complexion and black and red hair. These were all things that she saw in her daughter. When she saw the resemblance, she knew that little Ruby was going to grow up to be like her.

 _Let's just hope her choice in partners isn't as bad as mine._

Summer giggled to herself before opening the cupboard near her and took out her weapon. A longsword that she was quite proficient in using. Attaching it to her belt, she walked down the stairs. The rest of the family was there, waiting for her. Taiyang with his blonde hair and lilac eyes. He was smiling, just like always. The young Yang Xiao Long. She took more after her father with her golden hair and similar lilac eyes.

This was to be expected. After all, Yang was only Summer's step-daughter. Though Yang herself wasn't aware of this fact. She did plan on telling her eventually but she wasn't quite sure when or where it would happen. It was a work-in-progress.

And finally, Summer's daughter, Ruby Rose. This young girl had brought so much happiness in her life, as well as that of the Xiao Long's. Yang absolutely adores her. As did Taiyang.

"I wonder what old Ozpin wants with ya now?" Taiyang wondered, stroking his chin. "Somehow, I don't think this is a social call."

"No doubt," Summer agreed. "Who knows what Ozpin is thinking however. We tried for four years and we still couldn't get inside his head."

"True, true." Taiyang laughed a little. "So, how long do you think you'll be gone?"

"If it is what I suspect it is, then I shouldn't be any more than a few weeks. A month at worst," she told him before kneeling down so she was at Yang's level. "Take care of your little sister now." Yang nodded excitedly.

"Of course!" she yelled. "No Grimm will come near her when I'm around!"

"Hehe, that's my girl." Summer ruffled Yang's hair affectionately. Yang didn't take too kindly to it though.

"Mooooooom!" she yelled as she tried to fix it.

Smiling, Summer then turned her attention to Ruby, who looked at her with innocent eyes.

"...I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" she spoke warmly. Ruby nodded silently in response. Summer extended her arms out a little and little Ruby ran into Summer's embrace without a second thought. "...I love you, Ruby."

Letting go and standing up, she looked towards Taiyang one last time.

"Be careful," he said worriedly. Summer leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I will," she replied, brought her hood over her head, and made her way out the door. Following the coastline, she would eventually make her way to the docks, where she would charter a ferry to Vale. From there, she would need to take an airship to reach Beacon Academy – her destination. As she stared out at the sea, watching the calm waves, her thoughts went back to her family.

 _Maybe we should all take a vacation to Vale at some point. Ruby and Yang will love it there, I'm sure._

~ RWBY: Zero ~

Stepping out of that airship onto the Beacon Academy grounds was like stepping into a time machine for Summer. She remembered when she first stepped off that airship and saw the size of the building for the first time. She was absolutely floored by it, and a little overwhelmed. It more resembled a modern castle to her than a school building. She quickly got used to it once she started her training there however.

Seeing the building once again after so long brought a smile to Summer's face. She stared at it for a few seconds before she started walking. She passed by many students who either stared at her curiously, or just went about their business. Summer didn't pay either group any mind and continued to make her way into Beacon. Walking up to the front desk, the female receptionist there greeted her politely.

"Hello, how may I help you?" she asked.

"Summer Rose," Summer replied. "Professor Ozpin is expecting me."

"One moment please." The receptionist picked up the phone beside her and dialled a number. Summer looked around the hall in the meantime. The sight stirring up some fond memories for the Huntress.

 _This place really hasn't changed all that much. It's kind of amazing really... I like it. The classic look suits Beacon._

"Just take that elevator there and go straight up to the top floor," the receptionist said, bringing Summer's attention back to her. She followed the direction the finger was pointing towards and saw the elevator she spoke of.

"Thank you," Summer said and began walking in that direction.

"Have a nice day," the receptionist called out before getting back to work.

Summer got onto the elevator and pressed the button which would take her to the top floor – Ozpin's office. For the briefest of moments, the sudden urge to push every button crossed Summer's mind, but she quickly shook her head and removed any and all desire to do that. Amusing as it may have been.

 _Don't even think about it. You're a Huntress, for goodness sake!_

The elevator eventually stopped, and slowly slid open, revealing Ozpin's office. The only two occupants of this room were near the desk at the far end. The headmaster of Beacon, Professor Ozpin, and his aide, Professor Glynda Goodwitch.

Ozpin was always a mysterious man. His light complexion and sharp facial features gave the impression that he knew what you were thinking about. Though there wasn't any basis for it, that was just what Summer always thought. Silver hair and brown eyes gave a small indication of his age, but those who would assume that he was weak because of it would have been making a grave error. Ozpin was the headmaster of Beacon for a reason.

Green was a predominant colour in Ozpin's attire, with a dark green scarf and green undershirt, along with an unzipped black suit over a buttoned vest, and also shaded glass spectacles. Though she couldn't see it because he was sitting down, Summer knew that he also wore black trouser shoes and long, dark-green pants.

His attire hadn't changed that much since she left Beacon. And always accompanying him was his signature mug, bearing the Beacon Academy emblem. Summer believed that she hadn't _once_ seen him without that mug.

 _I wonder how much coffee he actually drinks in a day... and I'm not brave enough to ask._

Glynda Goodwitch was a far more easier person to pin down in comparison. Light-blonde hair that was tied back in a bun with a curl handing down the right side of her face. Bright green eyes that were covered by the thin ovular glasses she wore. Teal hanging earrings, along with a small bead identical to the ones on the earrings on her collar.

She wore a white long-sleeved suit and puffy sleeves, a black business suit and lighter black-brown stockings. Black boots with black heels, and the most striking part of her attire was her cape that was purple on the inside and black on the outside.

Her appearance truly suited her name and gave off the impression that she truly was a witch. Students of Beacon in Summer's time had another five-letter word that they would use to describe her that rhymed with witch, due to her stern nature as a teacher. It was a word that Summer would not repeat however.

Summer remembered these two rather well. They were there when she started her training at Beacon and they were there when she graduated and set out on her own. She walked towards them with confidence.

"Summer Rose," Ozpin greeted her with a nod. "It's been too long."

"It has. How long has it been now? Nine years?"

"Yes, roughly."

Summer sat down on the chair opposite Ozpin, having a feeling that she'll be there for a while.

"Would you like some coffee?" Ozpin asked, lifting his mug, but Summer shook her head.

"The way you take it? No way. It's way too bitter," Summer protested with a short laugh.

"Then I'll cut right to the chase," Ozpin stood up, taking his mug with him, and walked towards the window. Staring out at the world from one of the highest points of Remnant. "We are in an era of peace. Ever since the Faunus Rights Revolution, there hasn't been any large-scale conflict in the land of Remnant. The only enemies that we face is that of the Grimm, and we of Beacon train the best of the best to become Hunters and Huntresses, and go out to face this threat."

"Um, yeah, this is stuff that we were taught in history," Summer said confusedly. "Why tell me this?"

"Because, Summer, history has an odd tendency to repeat itself." Ozpin went back to his desk and sat down on his chair. "The peace we have built, the walls we have built. Eventually, they will crumble, and the flames of war will flare up once again... And that's why I've called you here."

"Me?"

"To help stop the chaos that is to come. Glynda?"

Summer turned her head to look at Goodwitch, who pressed a few buttons on her personal tablet, a Scroll. A large holographic screen appeared in between Ozpin and Summer, showing a map of Remnant.

"You'll be heading to Mistral," Goodwitch told her as a small dull, flashing light appeared on the land to the east of Vale. "To a small village just to the east of the coastline. There has been an unusually high concentration of Grimm in the area. Far beyond what is normal. It has been brought to our attention and Professor Ozpin has deemed it prudent to investigate it."

"Your mission is to investigate the reasons why the Grimm are concentrated in that area, and to put a stop to it if necessary," Ozpin explained clearly what Summer's goals were to her. "Oddly enough, the Grimm aren't attacking any of the villages in the area. They just... watch. This is highly unusual."

"Feel sorry for those villagers though," Summer said, nodding her head. "Guess you can say they have a very ' _grimm_ ' problem."

No response. All Summer received was very dull, unamused looks. Realising that her joke had fallen flat, she put a hand behind her head and rubbed her neck, feeling slightly embarrassed that she was joking in a clearly serious meeting.

"...Alright. So that's the atmosphere we're going with here. I see." She added a nervous giggle at the end before Ozpin cleared his throat.

"So, are there any questions?" he asked.

Summer looked at Ozpin with suspicion. His tone made it sound like that her accepting this mission was an ironclad fact. Thinking over it now, Summer noticed that that same tone was ever present throughout their entire conversation.

"Questions? I haven't even accepted this mission yet," she pointed out. Ozpin placed his mug on the table and met her look of suspicion with a neutral stare.

"You accepted it the moment you agreed to meet me. I'm sure you already knew this though."

He was right. Summer knew what she would be getting into the moment she agreed to go to Beacon and talk to Ozpin personally. Yet, she couldn't help but feel that there was something she was missing. Knowing where this would lead her, she leaned back against the chair.

"...What kind of Grimm can I expect to meet out there?" she asked.

"So far, it seems to be run-of-the-mill Beowolves. Should prove no challenge to an experienced Huntress like yourself. There are reported sightings of a Nevermore however. Regardless, I would exercise caution. The situation has a lot of unknowns, so don't expect the Grimm to act like they usually do."

"Got it. Is this a solo mission?" Summer asked. Truth be told, she would rather be a part of a team than be on her own. She knew that it wouldn't be that easy however, given the unique circumstances of this mission.

"Yes," Ozpin replied, nodding his head. "One Huntress appearing somewhere isn't unnatural, but four might start making the villagers ask questions. This is to be a simple recon mission. You're free to take whatever action you deem necessary to accomplish it."

 _'Whatever I deem necessary'...? This isn't just a simple reconnaissance op, is it...? Damn, I'm starting to get a bad feeling about all of this._

"...Where should I start?" Summer pushed back her concerns and asked the questions she needed to.

"For now, start with the village to the south of the docks once you arrive," Goodwitch responded this time, pointing out the village on the map. "There are pockets of Grimm all over Mistral, but the highest concentration of them is situated around the village of Monsoon. That should be your first port of call."

"Understood. When do I leave?"

"Within the hour. An airship has already been prepared for you."

Summer filed away all the information she had learned and stood up.

"I'll be taking my leave then." She began to walk towards the elevator.

"How is the family, Summer?" Ozpin's question made her stop and turn around one more time. When the question registered in her mind, she smiled.

"They've been great," she said. "Yang has been a handful. Taiyang is... well, he's Taiyang. I'm sure you already know what he's like. And Ruby's the most adorable child you'll ever meet."

Ozpin was silent. He drank out of his coffee mug and sat it down on the table. He rested his hands on the table, one on top of the other, and gave Summer a sympathetic look.

"...I'm sorry to hear about Raven," he said kindly. "I can't imagine what reasons she had for disappearing like this."

Summer's smile faded at the mention of her name. Team STRQ, pronounced ' _Stark_ ', was her team back when she was a student of Beacon. There was her, the team leader, Taiyang, Qrow Branwen, and—

 _...Raven._

Raven Branwen. Qrow's sister. The final stone that made up Team STRQ. And Yang's real mother. She disappeared soon after Yang was born, and hadn't been seen since. Nobody had been able to find her, nor understand the reasons she had for disappearing off the face of Remnant.

Realising that she was getting distracted by her trip down memory lane, Summer shook her head.

"Thank you, Professor," she said sincerely. "I'm sure she'll turn up someday..." She turned back around and continued her walk to the elevator. Entering the elevator and pushing the button that leads to the ground floor, Summer leaned against the metal back of the small cube and sighed.

 _...What did I just agree to?_

An hour had passed and Summer was in the airship, waiting for it to take off. That nervousness she felt while leaving Ozpin's office didn't leave her. As soon as she left for Mistral, Summer thought to herself, she would be able to relax a little more. She looked out the window. She hadn't been to Mistral since her time at Beacon. Most of her missions were centred around the Kingdoms of Vale and Vacuo, to the west, with the occasional trip to Atlas, up to the north.

Summer couldn't help but wonder if Mistral had changed at all since the last time she was there.

 _I can't imagine it changing all that much, aside from the sudden increase in Grimm... As soon as you touch down, head straight for Monsoon. No side trips like last time._

The airship lifted off from the dock and the noise of the engines signalled that they were on their way eastward. Summer took a deep breath and exhaled.

She didn't know what to expect from this mission, and it made her nervous and excited at the same time. This weird mixture of emotions manifested in a small smile that she let out as she watched the clouds move by her.

 _I haven't felt like this in a long time... Let's see what comes of it._

* * *

~ _**Author's Note**_ ~

Hello, fellow RWBY fans, and welcome to an interpretation that will probably be quickly proven non-canon, hehe. This is what I believe happened on Summer Rose's final mission. Since the show hasn't given an explanation so far, I thought I would fill in the blanks.

To be honest, I had the idea to do this for a long time, and I was planning to do this in tribute to Monty Oum back when he passed away, but my lack of confidence in the idea at the time prevented me from doing so. I thought it was finally time to start this however.

If you aren't familiar with the way I work with fan fictions, which I'm going to assume is the majority of you, then I usually include a sort of soundtrack for certain stories. This one is one of them, and you can find it on my profile page under the Soundtracks section. Just to give a sort of idea of what I'm listening to while writing certain scenes. You can find the link to the playlist on my profile page right now.

In any case, I hope you've enjoyed this little taste of what's been floating around my mind for some time now and I hope you have a great day.

Next Time – Chapter I: The Village of Monsoon


	2. Chapter I

~ _**Chapter I: The Village of Monsoon**_ ~

The airship arrived at the dock in the Kingdom of Mistral an hour and a half after it left. Summer woke up from her nap when she felt the soft vibrations of the moving airship come to a complete halt.

 _Oh, guess we've arrived._

Summer got off her seat and stood near the door, waiting for it to open up. As soon as the door opened up fully, she stepped out and took in the environment in front of her. The Kingdom of Mistral was mostly populated with swamps but there were some forests as well. Most of the major technology went to their school, Haven Academy, so most of the villages were more... old school, in terms of living.

Summer hadn't been to this continent ever since her time at Beacon. Her team had been sent there on a routine mission, and they left as soon as they were done, so she couldn't remember much about Mistral. Even if she tried to recall those memories, they seemed rather blurry to her.

She walked off the docking bay and onto the main road. She knew where she needed to go. South of the docking area until she reached Monsoon. If Ozpin's intelligence was correct – and Summer was sure it was – then she should expect to see some Grimm as she travelled. However, these Grimm would be ' _different_ ' from what she fought in the past.

It was highly unusual, and Summer could see why Ozpin called an experienced Huntress to take on this mission. The situation could become... delicate, if handled improperly. She looked around as she walked. The forests of Mistral were very lush and full of life. What lurked within these forests might cause one to second guess any plans they may have had of taking a stroll through them, but regardless they were a sight to see.

 _I don't think I've even been to Monsoon. I wonder what it's like?_

She was aware of how people lived in Mistral, and compared to places like Patch or Vale they were very natural in the way they lived. Unfortunately, that also meant that these villages were very popular hiding spots for the less savoury characters of Remnant. They shouldn't pose much of a challenge to Summer even if they tried something.

 _Still, I would rather avoid a fight. Let's try to be a little discreet here. Alright, plans for when I get to the village. Go to the tavern and ask the locals if they know anything. Once that's done, decide where to go from there._

It was a solid plan, and a very basic one. The best source of intelligence for reconnaissance missions were the people who lived in the area. They were usually helpful, as long as you kept your true intentions hidden. Of course, that's depending on what you're actually doing. Summer didn't feel the need to lie, as the villagers were no doubt aware of the Grimm and would know if anything was strange.

She continued walking for a mile. The afternoon sun was beaming down on her, but regardless she kept her hood up. Eventually, she saw the way into the village just ahead of her. From that distance, she could make out the comings and goings of the farmers, workers and other residents. It seemed like a peaceful town, and there were no signs of any Grimm attacks or the like.

The fact that the village was relatively untouched was of some concern to Summer. It wasn't uncommon for villages like these to be targets for the Grimm. They may be attracted to areas of massive negative emotion, but they were still animals and had animal-like instincts. So to see a village like this made Summer more than a little cautious.

She walked into the village. The residents ignored her for the most part, people who pass by greet her with a short ' _hey_ ' or ' _hi_ ', but nothing more than that. Summer assumed that they were too busy to hold a conversation, and that was fine by her. She somehow felt that she wouldn't be there for too long. She immediately made her way to the nearby tavern and opened the door.

At that time of day, the tavern wasn't that populated. Either people on break from their work or families who were having their lunch were in the building. Summer walked up to the counter at the back and sat down on one of the wooden stools. The owner was standing behind it, cleaning a glass he held in his hand.

"Haven't seen you around here before," he said when he noticed her. "You new?"

"Yeah," Summer responded. "I'm very much a stranger to Mistral. This is the village of Monsoon, right?"

"You would be right." He nodded his head. "Well, allow me to welcome you to Monsoon. Can I get you anything?"

"Strawberry Sunrise, if you don't mind. With ice."

"Coming right up."

He made the customer's drink exactly as specified. Summer noticed that he did this with speed and precision. It was almost a certainty that he had been working at said tavern for a long time if he was that good. He placed the glass down gently in front of Summer.

"Thank you." Summer picked up the glass and took a tentative sip. She smiled and placed the glass down.

"Judging from your clothing and that sword, I gather that you're a Huntress?" the owner asked Summer, who nodded her head. "You said that you aren't from Mistral though. Atlas? Vale?"

"Vale."

"Ah, I see. Must be nice, to be a Huntress with access to all that tech."

"I actually live on the island to the west of Vale, Patch. We don't build all that much technology ourselves, but the students of Signal have enough to build their own weapons."

"Building a weapon is the first stage of becoming a Hunter or Huntress," the owner mused whilst cleaning another glass. "That's what some of the other Hunters that've been through here said."

"You get visitors from other Hunters?"

"On occasion. They often pass through here, staying in the inn upstairs for the night before they go out on their hunts. You here on a mission?"

"I'm here to investigate the Grimm," Summer told him, taking another drink out of her glass. "Apparently, they have been acting rather weird lately."

"The Grimm, huh? Yeah, they've been sticking to their forests as of late. We haven't had an attack from them in a while. Not that we're complaining," the owner said with a short laugh. "As long as they stay out of our hair, we'll be able to go about our days without a problem."

"Has there been anything specific that you may have heard about? Some unknown type of Grimm or something?"

"Hmm... Sorry to say, but I haven't. Nothing that specific. I did hear that a village up north burned down, but there were no Grimm around that area, so I doubt it has anything to do with it."

Summer had been doing her job long enough that she knew to gather as much information as she could. Even if it seemed unrelated. It's difficult to tell what would be useful and what wouldn't, so she just asked questions about everything.

"There was a fire?" she asked, taking another drink. The owner sighed, closing his eyes.

"Yeah... It was terrible. No survivors apparently. And the cause of it is still unknown." The owner placed the glass he finished cleaning under the counter and looked back at Summer. "In any case, if you're here to investigate the strange Grimm then you'll need some place to stay, right? We have a room available if you need it."

Summer thought about it for a moment before she smiled.

"Yeah, that'd be lovely."

After paying for the drink and lodging – and also finishing the drink – she made her way upstairs to her temporary room. It was simple. Wooden door, wooden floor, wooden bed, wooden table, wooden chair. A candle on the table would provide the only light once night falls.

 _Geez, when they say 'old school' they weren't kidding._

Summer took her sword off her belt and placed it on the table. Taking the cloth from her satchel, she started cleaning the blade she carried with her. A habit she had ever since she made that sword in Signal. She carried it through her years at Beacon and then when she became a full-fledged Huntress she continued to use that weapon in every mission she had undertook. This one was no different.

 _Every weapon around here is a gun in some way. It either turns into a gun or is a pseudo-gun... Then again, I'm not one to talk._

While her sword doesn't turn _into_ a gun, it still has a gun-like feature. The grip had a trigger that, when pulled, uses Dust to send vibrations through the blade. Depending on what Dust was used, the effects can vary wildly. From streaks of fire to torrents of ice, she controlled the battlefield with precise attacks and quick thinking.

She kept cartridges of Dust in her satchel with different elemental properties that she could load into the grip. While she felt its design could be improved on, it hadn't failed her yet.

Once the blade itself was clean, she took apart the grip and cleaned the parts that helped operate the trigger.

 _I wonder how everyone else is doing? Probably off having fun, knowing them. I hope Qrow was able to get some time off and go see the kids. Ruby always gets so excited when he comes around._

Once the parts that made up the trigger were cleaned, she put it back together quickly. She didn't even need to think about it at that point. She had been doing it for the better part of a decade and a half, at the very least. She knew her weapon inside and out.

"Hmm..." She lifted the sword up and gave it a test swing. "Seems pretty fine. No rattle, no loose parts." She put it back down. "Maybe I should get some dinner? ' _Never fight on an empty stomach_ ', as Port would say. One of the few things I actually remember from his rambling."

Exiting the room, Summer made her way down the steps. The bar was a little more lively now that it was closer to evening. The owner made his way to her when he noticed her walking down the stairs.

"Is everything to your satisfaction?" he asked her. Summer nodded immediately.

"Yes, I have no problems," she told him. "You wouldn't happen to serve dinner here, would you? Kinda starving, hehe."

"I imagine so, considering the trip. And of course we do. I'll bring out the menu for you... And if you're looking for more information about the Grimm, you might want to try asking those guys over there." The owner pointed out the table at the far back. Four middle-aged men were sitting around the table, mugs beside them and a pile of cards in the middle. They were in the middle of playing some sort of card game, though Summer couldn't tell what it was from where she stood.

"And who are they?" she asked.

"Farmers. They work out in the fields and, as a consequence, are usually the first to see the Grimm come out of their forests. If anyone has seen the Grimm lately, it'll probably be them."

"Thanks." Summer took a step towards them before looking at the owner again. "Oh, what are they playing, by the way?"

"Old Maid."

"Gotcha. Should be easy."

"You sound pretty confident. Those guys are pretty good."

"Compared to hunting Grimm, playing a game of cards _is_ easy."

"True enough."

The owner laughed a little as Summer made her way to the table. She managed to catch their attention pretty easily.

"Mind if I join in?" she asked politely.

"No, of course not," the male closest to her said jovially. "Have a seat, Miss."

Summer sat down on the empty seat as the cards were gathered back into the hands of the person opposite her. As they were dealt out, the other members of that particular table had a few questions.

"And who might you be?" the man farthest away asked. "Never seen you around here."

"Summer. Summer Rose."

"You wouldn't happen to be a Huntress, would you?"

Summer nodded and smiled.

"Indeed I am."

"Been a while since we've seen a Huntress around here. The Grimm have been really weird lately." The man that looked the oldest out of the four shook his head. "It's a little unnerving to be quite frank."

"Oh, and what's so weird about these particular Grimm?" Summer asked as she picked up the cards dealt to her. "What have they done?"

"That's the thing. It's what they _haven't_ done," the youngest male sitting beside the older one said. "They stand at the edge of the forest near the fields... and they just watch us. When we see the Grimm rush out of those forests, we take off running, no questions asked. But recently, the Grimm watch what we're doing. The first time that happened, we couldn't move, we were that scared, but after the second and third time, we just continue working while watching them carefully. After a while, they just leave without doing anything. It's really, _really_ bizarre."

"Hmm... That's definitely not like them," Summer noted as she took a card from the hand of the person on her right. "There was a fire that happened up north recently, wasn't there?"

"Yeah. News of it spread like wildfire pretty quickly, no pun intended," the dealer explained, which made the younger male look at him, a expression like he was judging the man on his face.

"That was terrible," he said.

"You're right. I'm sorry. That wasn't the only strange thing that's happened lately. There was that Ursa Major that randomly showed up last month. Would have been trouble if it wasn't for that woman."

"Woman?" Summer asked curiously. The group nodded.

"Yeah," the younger male said. "She had a red sword and wore a mask, so we wouldn't see who it was, but she came in and killed that thing like it was nothing. She didn't say a word, she just killed it and then left. We didn't even have a chance to properly thank her."

 _Red sword... Could it be...?_

~ RWBY: Zero ~

Summer had trouble sleeping that night. She stared up at the ceiling, having trouble piecing together what she learned and forma reasonable explanation for the Grimm's very peculiar behaviour. She had concluded early on that she just didn't have enough information, so there wasn't any need to think on it. That wasn't what was troubling her so. The information she had learned about the woman who saved those farmers repeated itself in her mind again and again.

 _Raven was here...? She's probably long gone by this point. I can't imagine her sticking around a place for too long before moving on... Where are you?_

The remaining members of Team STRQ were hit badly by Raven's sudden disappearance, but none more than Summer. Qrow managed to get by, knowing that his sister was always a mysterious one, and Taiyang found solace in Summer, but Summer never really managed to recover from her partner vanishing like she did.

On occasion, she would lay awake at night, thinking of her partner's whereabouts. If she could, she would search for her, but it would have been irresponsible, considering that she had a family to take care of. The two had a close friendship ever since they were paired up and when Raven disappeared so suddenly after Yang was born, Summer was left confused and saddened.

She didn't know what she would say if... _when_ she saw her again.

 _...There really is no point in thinking about it. I'll find her eventually. At least I know she's still alive, and kicking a lot of Grimm butt._

Comforted somewhat with this knowledge, Summer eventually closed her eyes and managed to finally get to sleep.

 _...Rooms like these are always so cold when you're on your own..._

* * *

Next Time – Chapter II: The Boring Part / Masked Woman (I)


	3. Chapter II

~ _**Chapter II: The Boring Part / Masked Woman (I)**_ ~

The night was cold, but it was nothing to Summer who woke up feeling refreshed. The day began anew and her first order of business was finding out just what was going on with that Grimm. She caught up to the farmers she spoke to the previous night and asked if she could tag along to watch.

Once they reached the fields, Summer planted herself on a nearby rock... and waited.

 _Recon missions... The worst._

Summer's teammates would describe her as an ' _overexcited puppy_ '. An assessment that she had a lot of trouble denying. She found it difficult to keep still, which was a huge problem when she had to sit and watch one particular area for long stretches of time.

This particular recon mission was a little different however. The hope of catching some new and unusual Grimm had kept her focused on the task ahead.

An hour passed. Even the prospect of catching some new Grimm didn't help stop her from being bored of waiting for something to happen.

 _Geeeez, this is so boring! At least exploring ruins gives me something to do._

She eventually caught sight of the Grimm the farmers spoke of. Simple Beowolves. Nothing too significant. Though Summer found it incredibly unnerving how they just _stare_. They stood at the edge of the forest, and though their basic instinct should compel them to attack, they just watch and wait.

What they're waiting for, Summer couldn't figure out.

Two hours had passed. The Grimm continued to watch. Summer kept a close eye on them, to make sure they stayed where they were.

 _Ozpin was right. This is just too strange... Perhaps they're waiting until night...? They never showed any restraint in what time of day they attack in, so why now?_

Questions such as these were the crux of Summer's investigation into these strange Grimm, and how they operated. She had never seen them act so... human before. The Grimm are by no means mindless. They were animalistic, but they still possessed a certain level of intelligence. Enough to know how to attack certain prey.

Summer had never seen the Grimm act like this before, and it made her more than a little nervous. She had watched them for the majority of the day, and they continued to stand there at the edge of the forest. No noticeable change in the pattern.

Summer scanned the forest carefully. She had repeated this many times, and didn't notice any change in the environment since the Grimm turned up. Around an hour before the farmers were set to return back to Monsoon, Summer noticed a figure in the trees.

Standing on a branch, the distance between this person and made it very difficult for Summer to see any noticeable traits. It wasn't a Grimm. It wasn't a human. Summer recognised that much, and yet this person went ignored by the Grimm in the forest.

The usual behaviour for Grimm whenever they encounter humans, Faunus or otherwise is to kill first, eat first, ask questions later. If they happened to eat something rotten, well, that's on them.

So for someone to simply stand there in the line of danger and the Grimm not noticing or even _caring_ about said person was extremely unnatural.

 _Who is that...?_

Summer watched the figure. They didn't seem to be watching the farmers, though admittedly it was difficult to see what exactly this person was looking at from the distance Summer was watching them from.

Sumer had trained in the wilderness many times during her stay at Beacon. Hunters and Huntresses develop a sort of sixth sense for danger when they're hunting in dangerous environment like the woods. Places where the Grimm are most likely to hide. They just know when someone, or something, is watching them.

The chill that shot through Summer warned her that something was watching her. And it didn't take much of a leap of logic to figure out who it was. The figure on the branch was looking at _her_ specifically.

The question was now ' _why_ '. Why her? The obvious answer would be because she was a rogue element. Someone new. And whoever this person was decided that they needed to see her for themselves. Of course, Summer couldn't be completely certain of this. This was just the first day of her reconnaissance, and any conclusions drawn at that point was just shot-in-the-dark guesswork.

Summer couldn't help but think that she _was_ the reason for this person's sudden appearance. The farmers never mentioned a human-like figure amongst the Grimm, and they didn't seem to notice them.

She didn't go for her weapon just yet. There was no immediate danger and she didn't want to panic the farmers for no reason. The figure was doing the same thing the Grimm was... watching. Only this person was watching Summer instead of the farmers.

"...Silver eyes."

Summer's eyes widened as a dark feminine voice filled her head. She jumped to her feet and placed a hand on the handle of her sword. When she got her bearings back and tried to spot the figure again, they were gone. The Grimm were starting to turn back and disappeared back into the darkness of the woods.

Summer breathed in and out for a moment to calm herself before sitting back down. The farmers were unaware of her brief panic. Continuing to work the fields like always.

 _What is going on here...?_

~ RWBY: Zero ~

The sun was beginning to set on the windy fields of Mistral. Summer had continued to watch the forest but nothing had changed since she saw that distant figure. She returned to Monsoon with the farmers and had a lovely dinner at the tavern.

Returning to her room, she cleaned her blade before resting her back on her bed, thinking over the day's events.

"Did you know about this, Ozpin?" Summer wondered, shifting her weight to her side. "Nah, I think you would have mentioned it if you did... Then again, you always did keep your cards close, even during my time at school." She shifted her weight again, looking towards the window. "...I wonder how everyone's doing? Ruby's probably missing me already... It's only for a few weeks. I shouldn't complain."

She was about to close her eyes and get some rest when a loud explosion rocked the building, no, the entire village. Summer shot up into a sitting position.

"What was that?! An explosion?" She looked out the window. A tower of smoke had begun to rise above the building across the street. "Smoke?" A woman screaming reached her eyes and the unmistakable growls of the Grimm rang through the air. Frantic knocking at the door made her get off the bed and open it. "What's going on?!" she asked the owner who had rushed up to her room.

"The Grimm! The Grimm are attacking!" he yelled as the building shook. Another explosion had occurred nearby. Summer's hearing picked up the growl of a Grimm right outside.

"Fine shelter!" Summer yelled, running towards the window, grabbing her sword along the way. She jumped through the window, safely landing on her feet. Immediately swinging behind her, she managed to catch the Grimm that was there, its body torn in two by her blade.

She quickly scanned the battlefield in front of her. Many, many Beowolves were swarming into the village. The people were running for their lives amidst burning buildings. Directly in front of her were three Beowolves, who turned to look at her as soon as they noticed her presence.

"Have to deal with this quick," Summer said to herself as she prepared her blade for battle. The Beowolves, spotting their prey, circled around her. Summer remained still, waiting for the right moment to strike. One ran forward, swiped at the still unmoving Summer... only to connect with nothing but empty air.

The Grimm stared at the spot their target used to be, confused, until they saw a shadow above them. Looking up, they saw a figure illuminated by the broken moon up above. Summer, wielding her blade, dropped down with incredible speed and struck the ground. The blast of fire that resulted sent the Grimm scattering into different directions. The ones who weren't moved to attack this now clear threat.

Summer moved before they could get close, moving towards the Grimm nearest her and swung her blade, pulling the trigger as soon as it made contact. Easily cutting it in half, Summer moved forward to the next Grimm, who didn't even see her coming. It fell just as easily as the first one.

The other Grimm, just now getting up from the sudden impact, moved quickly to strike their foe. Summer had fought many Beowolves throughout the years. She was more than familiar with how they attack and could easily kill them. Thoughts like those could easily lead to one's death though. So Summer didn't mess around, especially since the village was on fire.

She narrowly moved past the Beowolf's claw and sliced through its stomach, dodged the next one's strike and slashed down its back, jumped over the next one's head and took it in the same motion. All the while, she pulled the trigger on her blade's grip, arcs of fire lingering in the air after each and every strike.

After the last Beowolf surrounding her fell, she looked around and saw a young girl cornered by another Beowolf. She charged forward, using the same speed that allowed her to easily dispatch these Grimm and got in between it and her, easily cutting it down. She looked back at the girl.

"Go! Get out of here!"

The girl took her advice and ran to safety. Summer couldn't be sure if anywhere was safe, but anywhere would be better than that village centre. From the corner of her eye, she saw something that turned the situation from bearable to a walking nightmare.

"Oh, that's just fantastic," Summer muttered under her breath. An Ursa. And not just any Ursa. An Ursa Major. A very large Grimm, it easily towered over Summer, and had the strength to back up that size. Summer wouldn't have had trouble fighting it, if not for the location. Monsoon was a rather small village, all things considered. Fighting an Ursa Major there posed the risk of a lot of collateral damage.

 _Have to get it out of the village!_

Summer saw that the entrance she used to get into the village was clear of Grimm. She stood up, ran to the middle of the village centre and yelled to get its attention.

"Hey, ugly! Over here!"

The Ursa, who seemed to be looking around before, spotted Summer, waving her sword around and daring it to come after her. Seeing the change, the Ursa ran after Summer, who had started to make her way out of the village.

The fields were the perfect place to take care of the Ursa. Wide open spaces to move around in, no risk of collateral damage. Summer jumped out of the way as the Ursa got a little too close to her for comfort.

"Faster than I remember them being..." Summer got into her neutral stance, watching the Ursa for a moment before charging forward. Pulling the trigger as she swung, the sword was easily deflected by the Ursa's blows. She jumped out of range once more. "Stronger too."

 _Brute force won't work against this one... Have to try a different approach._

Switching the cartridge out for an ice one quickly and with precision, Summer changed her stance and ran forward. She circled the Grimm, watching for an opening. She suddenly charged forward, striking twice before jumping away.

The Grimm followed and tried to strike at Summer. A mistake that would prove to be costly. When the Ursa struck, Summer jumped back out of the way and struck its arm at the same time, pulling the trigger. Most of the Ursa's arm was now encased in ice. Landing on her feet, Summer charged forward, her next strike aiming to cut off the Ursa's arm.

Before she could get close, the Ursa's unfrozen arm suddenly moved with a speed that should have been difficult to accomplish with its size. Somehow seeing this attack, and being unable to dodge it, Summer brought her sword towards her in a defensive manoeuvrer. Luckily, she managed to avoid the worst of the strike, though she was still sent flying across the field. Her sword landed far away from her.

The Grimm ran for her, seeing the chance to end this. Summer knew that she wouldn't be able to get out of the way before the Ursa caught up with her. The Ursa raised it's unfrozen hand... and then suddenly stopped.

It was only a few feet from Summer, and yet it didn't attack. It wasn't long before Summer discovered why. The Ursa Major vanished in a black mist, and standing in its place was a womanly figure, wielding a long, single-edged red blade. She turned around and looked at Summer, who remained on the ground.

A black-haired woman, who wore a mask that resembles a Grimm's face and carried a red sword. Though her face was hidden, Summer could easily recognise this figure. Her black dress, the red girdle-belt, the necklaces, the gauntlets. Even the skirt and her boots.

Before Summer could speak, the masked woman cut through the air with her sword. The air shifted as a red and black energy field that was her height was formed. It looked like a portal to Summer, and its use was quite similar. The masked woman stepped through this portal, closing it behind her.

For a while, Summer sat there, slightly confused by what had happened. The sudden Grimm attack and her saviour in the form of that masked woman left her a lot to think about.

As she made her way back to the village to help out with suppressing the damage done to it by the Grimm, the fact that she recognised the woman refused to leave her. Though she would have many questions later; in the here and now, she could only ask herself this, not knowing if she was hoping for too much.

"Raven... Was that really you?"

* * *

Next Time – Chapter III: The Girl on the Side of the Road / Masked Woman (II)


	4. Chapter III

~ _**Chapter III: The Girl on the Side of the Road / Masked Woman (II)**_ ~

The following morning, Summer helped the villagers with clearing up some of the damage Monsoon took during the attack. Thanks to her quick intervention, they were spared the worst of it. Nothing they couldn't rebuild quickly. It was around midday when Summer had to move on. She wanted to start investigating in closer detail quickly, so she packed up what little she had and starting making her way to the entrance.

"Hey!" Summer stopped at the voice. She turned around and saw a few villagers, including the owner of the tavern she stayed in, walking towards her. The tavern owner was carrying a food bag. "We wanted to thank you for helping out last night. You might have saved our entire village from burning to the ground."

"It's no trouble," Summer said immediately. "I'm a Huntress. It's my job."

"Of course, of course," he said, laughing a little at the obviousness of what he said. "Still, we wanted to give you this." He handed the bag to Summer. She noticed that it was fairly heavy. Probably about a ton. And it was all food, she realised.

"I don't want to take something you might need," Summer told him but the tavern owner shook his head.

"We'll be fine. There's enough food to feed all of us for a month. Besides, you have a long journey ahead of you, don't you? This is the least we can do to help out."

Summer considered it for a moment before nodding her head.

"Then I thank you for your generosity," she said. "This won't go to waste."

"I'm sure it won't."

After some parting words, Summer was on the road once more. She wanted to head north, to the burned down village. She figured she might find some clues and the capital city was on the way, so it was quite convenient for her. She opened the bag of food while she walked. The first thing she caught sight of almost made her convulse.

 _Blech! Tomatoes! I hate them! ...Hmm. Seems like at least one thing is going to go to waste, unfortunately._

She zipped up the bag so that the rest of the food doesn't lose its freshness and continued walking. It was a nice sunny day, with a light breeze coming in from the west. It was these kinds of days Summer loved the most. She couldn't recall a day like this which she didn't love in any way. Her mood dampened a little when she remembered what she'll see at the end of this road.

 _...Either way, it might be a good spot to camp for the night if I need to. The capital is still a fair ways away. I probably shouldn't push my luck._

She kept a steady pace as she walked. She wasn't in any hurry to get there, but she also didn't want to overextend herself, especially with the unexpected extra weight. Though that's mostly because she didn't want to bruise anything in the bag.

She came across a massive field which was bordered off from the road by a small wooden fence. Animals like cows and sheep happily went about their business. It was natural for the countryside to have sights like these. Grass, forests, dirt roads, wooden fences cordoning off expansive fields, young girls sleeping over the fence, nice flowers—

 _Wait a minute..._

Summer turned around when she noticed it. She thought her eyes were tricking her, but looking again let her see that this wasn't a trick of the eyes. This was real. A young girl, couldn't have been older than Ruby, was draped over the fence like a bed sheet hung out to dry. She wore a dress that had a sunflower pattern on it, had brown hair... and that was all Summer could tell from a first glance. Her eyes were closed and she couldn't see much about her that stood out.

 _This is a first..._

She walked over to the girl, now very much curious about this unusual sight. As she stared at her, wondering just what was going on, the girl's head moved slightly.

 _Huh?_

"...ry..." the girl spoke weakly. Summer was starting to get worried at this point.

"Hey, are you alright?" she asked the girl, who managed to lift her head a little more.

"I'm... so..."

"What? What is it? What's wrong?"

"...hungry."

 _Eh?_

The girl's stomach rumbled, as though proving what she said.

"I'm so... hungry."

This was a rather unusual situation for Summer. Of all the things she expected to see that day, a hungry girl draped over a fence wasn't one of them. Summer stepped back a little. She could see that the girl had red eyes and was looking at Summer with a child-like curiosity, though that curiosity turned to irritation rather quickly.

"Are you listening?" the girl asked, sounding a little impatient. "I said I was hungry!"

"So, just out of curiosity," Summer said, sounding more than a little confused. "Do you make a habit of sleeping on fences on the side of the road?"

"It can also be called kerb croaking."

Summer didn't know what to make of this. She was still trying to process that a girl was draped over a fence on the side of the road. Why? For what reason? Puzzles like these were swimming through Summer's mind and trying to solve them was like trying to solve a picture puzzle with only five of the pieces.

"So..." the girl said, bringing Summer back to what was in front of her. "Do you have any food, Miss? I'm really really hungry." She smiled and tilted her head. "Please feed me!"

 _She might be better off back in Monsoon... Oh wait!_

Summer reached into her bag of food, and pulled out a tomato. She may hate it, but at least it won't go to waste.

"Will this help?" she asked the girl, holding out the fruit. The girl's eyes lit up.

"Thank you! Tomatoes are my favourite." She took the tomato out of Summer's hands, looked at it curiously before biting into it like a starved animal. Summer had to wonder how long the girl had went without food. After finishing it off, the girl hopped off the fence and dusted off her dress. "Thank you so much, Miss! Can you tell me your name?"

"Oh, it's Summer. Summer Rose," she introduced herself to the girl, stretching out her hand. The girl looked at it confusedly before she grabbed hold of it.

"I'm Emilia."

~ RWBY: Zero ~

After spending some time speaking with Emilia, Summer found out a few things. Emilia couldn't remember what she was doing there; she couldn't remember her last name, and she had a pretty huge stomach. Emilia had went through all the fruit in the bag in her hunger. There were plenty of meat and vegetables left, so Summer wasn't worried about dinner that night.

Since Emilia couldn't remember where she came from, Summer decided to let her tag along with her to the capital, so they could possibly find out more about her. Though Summer was concerned about Emilia travelling with her, it wasn't like she could just leave her there all alone. So that's how the sight of a Huntress and a young girl in a dress travelling by her side could be seen.

They walked along that road for some time until they could see something in the distance.

"What's that?" Emilia asked, pointing out something black. Summer couldn't see properly from the distance they were at.

"Not sure," she said. "...Let's go see."

They made their way to what they saw and stopped cold, as a chill went down both their spines.

"What...?" Summer let out. Emilia hid behind Summer, not able to stand the sight. Summer noticed this and placed a comforting hand on Emilia's head, calming her enough to bring her back out of hiding.

An entire village, scorched and burned to the ground. That was what they saw. Summer remembered what the farmers in Monsoon told her. The tavern owner also mentioned it. Every building was nothing but cinders now. The ground surrounding the village was burned. Dead plants could be seen. Steeling herself, Summer walked further into the village, Emilia tailing behind.

"What happened here...?" Emilia asked, fear in her tone.

"I don't know..." Summer admitted as she examined her surroundings. "The villagers talked about this in Monsoon, but I didn't think it would be this bad... No survivors apparently. After seeing the extent of the damage, I can believe it..."

"D-Do you think the Grimm did this?" Emilia asked.

"Not sure... I can't remember if I had ever seen a Grimm that shoots fire before..."

 _...Something's wrong._

That sixth sense kicked in again, warning Summer of danger. There were plenty of collapsed buildings around, and no way to keep track of all of them. Perfect place to set up an ambush. Summer kept her hand near the handle of her sword as she walked.

Crack.

The sound of something being crunched under foot caught her ear. Quickly glancing down, she found that it wasn't her. As soon as she confirmed that fact, something appeared from the shadow of one of the collapsed buildings.

She moved. Quickly drawing her sword, she blocked the Grimm's sudden attack.

"Go! Find cover!" Summer yelled at Emilia, who ran away as fast she could. In the meanwhile, Summer was placed on the defensive, forced to block every Grimm's attack. They were unusually accurate, Summer found. There was usually at least a small gap for her to move when she fought normal Grimm, but this one she couldn't find any space to manoeuvrer. Though Summer could see it coming, one of the Grimm's attacks caught her by surprise.

 _It's fast!_

Quickly bringing her sword up, she blocked the fast, but strong attack and was forced back. There was space to move around now, but Summer couldn't be certain how fast that Grimm could close the gap. Could take a few seconds, one second, or maybe even a millisecond. It may have seemed outlandish, but Summer had to be that cautious. She knew she had to be, else she would be dead.

 _...He who moves first, loses._

Summer prepared herself. If she could predict the Grimm's movements, going on the offensive would be much easier. She analysed the space in front of her. There were only three possible spots the Grimm could attack from. The front, front-left and front-right. Glancing to her left slightly, she saw that a building would get in the way of the Grimm's movements, so that eliminated that possibility. The front was simply too risky, she could see it coming a mile away if it moved straight. So that only left—

 _There!_

The Grimm had moved suddenly, but Summer was faster. Parrying the Grimm's claw attack, she swung her sword down with godlike speed. The Grimm was split open, but Summer didn't want to risk it. She quickly slashed its chest several times before aiming for its head. Pulling the trigger on the handle of the sword, a streak of fire flew through the air as the blade easily cuts through the Grimm's neck. Severing the head from its body. The body collapsed in on itself.

Summer sighed. The battle was quick but it was one of the more difficult battles Summer had went through.

 _What was that thing...? That wasn't just a regular Beowolf... Seems Ozpin wasn't kidding about these unusual Grimm._

Summer went to sheathe her sword, but suddenly stopped.

"...Crap!" She suddenly looked behind her. She was careless. She didn't consider the possibility that there would be more than one hiding in wait. Three Beowolves had appeared from behind some of the other buildings and were almost in striking range. They jumped into the air, aiming to claim Summer's head. Summer held onto her sword with both hands. She was able to fight them, though she recognised that even if she wasn't able to, she wouldn't have a choice in the matter.

As quickly as they appeared however, they were just as quickly dispatched. It left Summer confused, as the sight of the three Beowolves slumping to the ground dead laid in front of her. Her sight was drawn towards the centre of town as a lone figure stood there facing her. A red katana in their right hand.

"You..."

Summer walked towards the figure cautiously. She didn't sheathe her blade as she couldn't tell if this figure was a friend or foe. Though she sincerely wished it was the former. They were now stood about five feet from each other. Summer knew that either one could close that gap in a second. Summer couldn't gauge the figure's hostility. It was the person who saved her the previous night. She could remember that figure very clearly. So why was she standing there and not saying a word?

The female figure vanished. Summer's eyes widened as she instinctively looked to her right. _She_ was there, poised to strike. Summer quickly brought up her sword and parried the attack. A clash between two equally skilled swordswoman. Sparks flew from the centre of their bout. If one were to see this ballet of attacks, they wouldn't be able to see the blades. Equally powerful strikes from the two of them forced them to jump back from each other. Summer charged forward, but stopped when the figure raised her hand.

"...You're getting sloppy," she said, her voice slightly obscured by the mask she wore. Summer couldn't mistake it however. The swordswoman removed the mask. Her black hair and red eyes could be more easily seen now, and the fact that she hadn't changed in all these years made Summer so happy. The woman smiled. "...It's been too long, Summer."

Summer sheathed her blade and ran at full speed towards the woman.

"Raven!" she yelled as she hugged her. Raven Branwen was almost caught off guard with this and barely managed to keep her balance as Summer dived into her.

"Easy, easy!" Raven said, hugging Summer back.

"But—why—when—" Summer said at a rapid pace. So many questions she wanted to ask, but she didn't know where to start. Well, there was one. "What was that all about?" she asked.

"Sorry," Raven apologised sheepishly. "Had to make sure you were the real deal. Forget about that though, you've certainly grown a bit."

"While you haven't changed at all."

"Haha... I guess I haven't."

Summer remembered who else was there and quickly let go of Raven. She looked around.

"Emilia! It's safe now!" From behind one of the collapsed buildings, Emilia poked her head around the corner to look at Summer before she ran towards her.

"Are you alright?" Emilia asked worriedly, but Summer patted her head.

"I'm fine. You don't have to worry."

Summer glanced at Raven and saw her looking at Emilia curiously.

"Who's the kid?" she asked, pointing at her.

"Long story, I'll explain later. For now, I think we should set up camp somewhere. It's going to get dark soon..."

"I already have a place set up that we can use," Raven told her. "I was planning to come get you the other day, but something came up."

Summer walked over and picked up the food bag that was dropped in the chaos of the fight. She turned to look at Raven once more and smiled after a moment.

"Yeah... That sounds lovely."

~ RWBY: Zero ~

Summer and Emilia followed Raven further north until they came across a camp near the edge of the forest. Knowing they could relax a little, they sat down and started to prepare dinner. A simple dish. Meat, potatoes and a side offering of vegetables. Summer found it simple to make and delicious after a long day.

Emilia ate the most out of all of them.

 _How big is this girl's stomach?_

Emilia fell asleep soon after, much to Raven's amusement.

"Girl has a bottomless stomach," she said. "And is a heavy sleeper to boot... Where exactly did you find her again?"

"Draped over a fence on the side of the road."

"No kidding? That's new to me."

"Think of how I reacted." The two chuckled over Emilia before a silence fell between them. Now that they had some peace and quiet, Summer knew that there was plenty she wanted to ask Raven. Raven was aware of this herself and waited for Summer to speak first.

"...Where have you been?" Summer asked. "You disappear for nine years and then you just appear out of nowhere... What were you doing?"

"...It's... difficult to explain," Raven said, refusing to look Summer in the eye. "It has something to do with what you're investigating right now."

"The Grimm?" Summer asked. Raven nodded her head in affirmation.

"This is far bigger than Ozpin thinks it is. I've been after this trail for nine years and it's only recently that I've started to make progress..." Raven hesitated after this, and Summer noticed. After a few moments, Raven swallowed that hesitation and spoke up again. "Summer... What do you know about the Maidens?"

Summer looked at Raven in disbelief. Of course she knew about the Maidens. Their story was told quite often as a bedtime story for kids.

"Th... That's just a fairy tale," Summer said. "Four sisters visit the home of an old man, they were kind to him so he gave each of them great powers. My parents told this story when I was young... Why bring that up?"

"...What if I told you that it isn't just a fairy tale?" Raven asked. "The Maidens are real, Summer. And someone is making major moves to acquire their power..."

"That's..." Hard to believe, was what Summer wanted to say, but she didn't. She thought about it for a minute before deciding to place her trust in Raven. She knew her. She wouldn't have chased this trail for almost a decade if she didn't think there was something there. So, she nodded her head. "If they were as powerful as the story claims them to be, then someone having that much power could be..."

"Catastrophic," Raven said, finishing her sentence. "I don't know who's going after them, but I heard a rumour that there's something involving the Maidens in the Helix Ruins. One of them is to the east of the capital... What's your plan, Summer?"

"Well..." Summer paused before looking back at Emilia, who slept peacefully. "I was heading to the capital anyway. I want to see if I can find her parents."

"It's a good a place to start as any." Raven nodded. "We can restock on Dust and whatever supplies we need before we go to the ruins."

"Who said that I was going with you?" Summer asked with an amused smile. "I don't exactly remember agreeing to this."

"You'd go there even without me telling you about it," Raven countered swiftly. "You ruin nut."

"True, true... In any case, I'll gladly go with you..."

The conversation about that trailed off there. Raven had said all she needed to, and since Summer agreed to go with her, there were no arguments.

"So..." Raven began, not sure of where this would take them. "I hear you have a kid now. What's her name?"

"Ruby," Summer told her warmly. "She's my joy. She definitely takes her looks after me and not her father. For which I am eternally thankful."

"...How's everyone else? Taiyang, Qrow... Yang?"

"They're doing fine. Taiyang and I married about a year after you left. Qrow and him are teaching at Signal. On his off days, Qrow comes over and plays with the kids. Ruby and Yang always get so hyper whenever they hear that he's coming along. He really is the fun kind of uncle."

Raven smiled a little before it vanished. She sat in thought for a while, staring at the ground, before she looked back at Summer.

"Does she know about me?"

"No... We haven't told her. We're planning to, but..." Summer rubbed the back of her neck. "We just haven't found the time, you know...? You left her behind, Raven."

"...I know," Raven said, fully realising what she had done. There was no regret in her tone. There wasn't much of a tone there. Just a simple admission that she had left Yang behind when she was just a baby. "This was just too big for me to ignore... I'm sure she'll hate me when she finds out."

"I wouldn't be sure about that," Summer said, her smile returning to her face. "In fact, once this is over, how about you and me go back to Patch? We can explain everything to her together."

"...I don't even think I'm fit to be a mother," Raven admitted, her tone changed just slightly, but Summer was able to catch the hint of sadness to her tone. Well, that just wouldn't stand for Summer.

"Give yourself a little credit," Summer told her. "You were determined enough to chase after this for nine years. Without any rest... Speaking of rest." Catching Raven off guard, she pulled her down to the ground with her, wrapping her arms around her.

"H-Hey, what are you—?!"

" _You_ are staying right here and are going to get some sleep, you hear?" Summer argued sternly. Raven knew better than to struggle. She knew from experience that Summer's death grips were practically inescapable.

"But—"

"Nope!"

"I—"

"Nope!"

"What if—"

"Nope! I'm not letting you get away again!"

Sighing, Raven accepted her defeat and returned the hug. In truth, she was glad to have that little bit of familiarity after so long. She smiled as she smelled the scents of nature all around them.

"...You haven't changed at all, have you, Summer?"

"Nope!"

Laughing softly, the two eventually fell asleep. Summer, happy that she had found her partner again. Raven, glad that she had an ally in her seemingly endless fight. Emilia, glad that her stomach was full.

* * *

Next Time – Chapter IV: City of Solano


End file.
